‘Well … I doubt it’ll take the weight of a man,’ said Yori.

He placed a tentative foot on the ice. It crackled around the edges, but held firm. He stepped on with his other foot.

‘Oh dear,’ said Yori, fully supported by the ice. ‘It seems that –’

All of a sudden he fell through, ending up thigh deep in ice, water and mud. Yori looked down as he began to sink.

‘I suppose that’s good news,’ he said, trying to pull his feet out.

‘Let’s pray it stays that way,’ replied Jack, quickly hauling his friend back on to the path. ‘But if not, we’ll just have to station the majority of the farmers along this front line – and hope.’

They headed over to the bridge, Yori squelching at his side. As they approached the river, they heard sounds of bickering further back up the road. Miyuki and Hayato were positioned beside the hay bales at the village’s eastern entrance.

‘I thought you were a skilled archer!’ cried Miyuki.

‘I am,’ Hayato snapped, drawing another arrow from his quiver.

‘Then how come you missed?’

‘Because I’ve got you breathing down my neck.’

Jack and Yori hurried over.

‘What’s the problem?’ asked Jack.

‘Miyuki wants me to hit that charge with a flaming arrow from here!’ Hayato explained, indicating the gunpowder cask half hidden beneath the bridge.

A small wooden target had been set up in front for practice. From where they stood, the distance and awkward angle made the shot difficult for any archer. However, bushes near the bridge obstructed the view and made the task even more challenging. An arrow from Hayato’s previous attempt was embedded in the bridge’s supporting strut, a good hand’s breadth off-target.

‘It would be simpler and less risky to dismantle the bridge,’ Hayato urged Jack.

‘But we’d lose an opportunity to reduce Akuma’s force,’ Miyuki argued.

‘Can’t you move the gunpowder?’ suggested Yori.

Miyuki shook her head. ‘We have to put the main charge there,’ she explained. ‘Otherwise the bridge won’t collapse. And we can’t get any closer, since Hayato would become a target for musket fire.’

‘Why not use a line of gunpowder and light it from here?’ said Jack.

‘Over this distance? It’d be impossible to get the timing right. Akuma’s men could be across before it blew.’

‘I don’t understand why we can’t place two charges,’ demanded Hayato, indicating a second cask of gunpowder next to Miyuki. ‘Put that one where I can hit it and have the explosion set off the other.’

‘Sorry, but I need that cask,’ she replied.

‘More invisible ninja defences?’ said Hayato sarcastically.

Jack turned to Hayato. ‘Try again. I’m sure it’s just a matter of practice.’